Synopsis
Set against the backdrop of the political events of the past five years, The Island of Freedom portrays the daily lives of four characters (Taiwanese, Hong Kongnese and Eastern Europeans - Czech and Ukrainian) living in Taiwan and their contributions to the defense of freedom and democratic principles that Taiwan gained, despite its complex and contentious history.
In recent years, Eastern European countries have shown their support of Taiwan by turning away from the powerful influence of China and engaging with Taiwan on a higher political level. This offers insight into the historical parallels between the Eastern European states and Taiwan's struggles with its big communist "brother" across the border.
The Island of Freedom, a feature-length documentary film, thus raises topical questions about the complex geopolitical climate in East Asia and Eastern Europe - a region that experienced authoritarianism during the Cold War. The growing threat of an attack on Taiwan and the ongoing war in Ukraine link the two regions with unprecedented intensity. Through intimate human stories, the film unravels the various attempts to find one's own identity, thematized through the characters of Taiwanese, Hongkongese and Eastern Europeans living in Taiwan. For them, and for all of us, the issue of Taiwanese self-determination and historical experiences are of utmost relevance and importance.
In recent years, Eastern European countries have shown their support of Taiwan by turning away from the powerful influence of China and engaging with Taiwan on a higher political level. This offers insight into the historical parallels between the Eastern European states and Taiwan's struggles with its big communist "brother" across the border.
The Island of Freedom, a feature-length documentary film, thus raises topical questions about the complex geopolitical climate in East Asia and Eastern Europe - a region that experienced authoritarianism during the Cold War. The growing threat of an attack on Taiwan and the ongoing war in Ukraine link the two regions with unprecedented intensity. Through intimate human stories, the film unravels the various attempts to find one's own identity, thematized through the characters of Taiwanese, Hongkongese and Eastern Europeans living in Taiwan. For them, and for all of us, the issue of Taiwanese self-determination and historical experiences are of utmost relevance and importance.
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